It's day 6 of the school term. Our learners haven't read a piece of text yet (unless you count instructions on the board, Scavenger Hunts or Digital Device and Camp Agreements). They haven't done any math (unless you count using their ruler to measure out spaces for letters in their Paul Klee name artwork) or writing (unless you count formulating their 2016 aspirations to share with their whānau or coming up with Two Truths and a Lie for our ice-breaker).....
This aside, the past week has been one of my most fun, heartwarming and successful starts to any school year. Why? I'm sure it's down to a number of factors (not least that I have a simply
A-MAAZING class this year) but one of these reasons is that we have slowed down.
Hitting the pause button has allowed me to reflect on this process and what I think slowing down has sped up......
Taking time to play games has meant I've seen more smiles and watched our learners grow in confidence. Developing confidence in the fact that they are safe... with me, with our learning whānau, in our routines and in our space.... as well as in the games we're playing.
Taking time to undertake some integrated activities slowly, such as our name art (math, art, spelling, celebrating diversity, managing ourselves, developing patience, practicing persistence, aiming for excellence) have enabled us to discuss how each of these activities helps us to Grow Great People.... espousing our new school vision.
It has helped me to see where our strengths lie; who can ask for support, who is a perfectionist that never finishes and which of us are the procrastinators who never start. Who can use a ruler. Who can follow instructions. Who has their own high standards and who is still moving along that continuum.
Taking time has given me time to sit with our learners, to get to know them as people and to share of myself in order to encourage them to view me as a person too.
Taking time has meant we've all enjoyed our time together more without feeling stressed or pressured to complete endless activities at speed.
We've had time to talk about checkpoint assessments... about taking the time to reflect on what we're doing well, where our next step on the continuum might be next and how we might get there. It's allowed me to have time to ask our learners what they've tried, rather than giving them the answers. This time has allowed me to connect with learners I might usually struggle to get to know and to build strong trust relationships early. It's allowed the kids to see that I know they're a person first and a learner next and that I value them for who they are, not what they can achieve on any one particular test or activity.
Taking time has meant I have had time and energy and enthusiasm for emailing and calling and texting parents. Calling parents at the beginning of the year is one of the most rewarding things... because the short amount of time it takes leaves a big boost for whānau and learners. The value in this is phenomenal. Some parents don't answer the first time. Taking the time to let them know your call is positive and calling again has meant that I've experienced some lovely moments where parents are truly surprised and bubbling with happiness at the fact that I've made time to call and tell them what a great kid they have. They are great kids.
The best thing is that because I've made time to get to know each of these great kids, when I call, I have real information to share. About the student who made a huge community contribution when they agreed to visit other schools and share their violin learning in order to encourage other learners to come to our school for lessons. The fact that they demonstrating bravery on the sports field when I watched their lunchtime game, where a few days before they had hung back, shy. About the student who helped to welcome a new student to the class and show them where to put their resources. About the student who was so helpful to me and offered to tidy up an area or set up our class game. Or the student who picked up rubbish in the school grounds without being asked to. This stuff matters more than what stanine they achieve in a standardized test.
Calling families doesn't come naturally to me. I can be quite shy and when a phone call doesn't get answered or no answer phone picks up, it can leave me even more hesitant about dialing numbers. I know however, that the more I practice this, the better it will get... and that these positive phone calls are so important to those waiting at home. Sometimes it's been a long time since a parent has had a positive call.
Taking time to hold a Meet the Teacher night meant I got a chance to find out important information about our learners and are parents. The school's commitment to trialing a new format for this night meant I spent less time talking at the front of the room and more time chatting with parents. About what is important to them. About their child's concerns and about their aspirations for their children. How many of their parents' goals for their child centred around confidence? They know their child worries. They know there are plenty of things that can (and does) drag their child down. They are excited when they hear someone who's ready to build their child up. Taking time has helped me to see how much of a difference that positive rapport-building time has made. To their children... and in turn to them.... which again benefits their children when they pass that on.
Taking time has meant that I noticed when one of my lovely quiet young men came to me and told me he didn't think his Dad would make the Meet the Teacher night. Stopping what I was doing I noticed how worried he looked as he asked me if his family HAD to come. I told him gently how important it was that they come. He replied, "Dad will probably say... Awww nah!"
I replied with an encouraging smile "Well then it's your job to help Dad understand how important it is. So you can share your goals with him. And so Dad can share with you what he would like for you to achieve in your Year 8 year".
A few minutes later he returned again, looking a little tearful.
"I don't think he'll come, " he told me.
"Just do your best," I said.... "tell Dad it's nothing formal, just a chance for him to meet me so that he feels comfortable coming in to see us - so he knows who I am. And if he doesn't make it, we'll catch up some other time, I'm sure"
This young man and his Dad came along a little later in the evening. I managed to bump right into them on my way back to our classroom from the pool. Dad looked a little nervous. His son glowed with pride. We chatted, they set goals, Dad told me about his son's challenges. They went on their way, into the night.
The next day, I caught up with this young man, who had grown in confidence overnight and patted him on the back. We shared a treat to celebrate his part in encouraging Dad to come to school. He smiled, a little more bravely than yesterday.
The best time has been in taking time to reflect on this. To run through the past week in my head... noting down all the celebrations and positives that have come out of slowing down and making my main focus on the kids. How in doing so I've had time to talk about their goals and aspirations, and to ensure that these are SMART goals. How in doing so we've built in a lot of self-reflection, a bit of peer reflection and some class reflections. How we have discussed assessment for learning and my goals around that this year for them, and alongside this, our new school vision and values. Reflecting, I realise, has given me time to really relive all of these great moments and to consolidate in my memory what has gone well, in order to help me to remember to continue with it throughout this year and into the years to come.
It's time. To take time.
